Lid assembly for beverage container

ABSTRACT

A beverage container system is described. The beverage container system includes a lid assembly to selectively close a beverage container. The lid assembly includes a lid cover and a lower lid. The lid cover seals against a drinking rim of the lower lid.

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 63/298,713 filed Jan. 12, 2022, which is incorporated byreference in its entirety.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a lid assembly for a beveragecontainer.

BACKGROUND

Certain beverage containers are known to use lids with closing featuresor structures to prevent or reduce spillage or leakage of fluidscontained in the beverage containers. Such conventional closing featuresmay leak or not provide positive closure. Such conventional closingfeatures may only have a single style of drink opening. Suchconventional containers may also fail to cover or protect a drinkingsurface of the beverage container from contaminants.

SUMMARY

Certain aspects of a lid assembly for a beverage container are shown anddescribed. In one aspect, a lid assembly is described. The lid assemblyincludes a lower lid and a lid cover. The lower lid is configured toengage or connect to an upper portion or neck region of a beveragecontainer. The lid cover is configured to engage or connect to the lowerlid and seal against the lower lid.

The lower lid includes one or more openings or fluid passages. Theopenings or fluid passages are configured to fluidly connect to aninterior volume of the beverage container. When the lid cover is engagedor connected to the lower lid, the lid cover seals against a drinkingrim, a top edge, mouth, or other drinking surface of the lower lid toprovide a leak resistant lid assembly. When the lid cover is engaged orconnected to the lower lid, a stopper portion of the lid cover ispositioned over the one or more openings or fluid passages. When the lidcover is removed from the lower lid, the lower lid is configured todispense a beverage from the beverage container. The user may drinkdirectly from the lower lid.

In other aspects, a lid assembly for a beverage container is described.The lid assembly includes a lower lid. The lower lid configured is toconnect or engage around an upper portion or a neck region of a beveragecontainer. The lower lid has a central wall. The central wall has anopening for fluid passage. The lid assembly includes a lid cover. Thelid cover is configured to connect or engage with the lower lid. The lidcover is configured to seal against an inner side surface of a drinkingrim of the lower lid.

In other aspects, a lid assembly for a beverage container is described.The lid assembly includes a lower lid. The lower lid is configured toconnect or engage to a beverage container. The lower lid has a centralwall. The central wall has a smaller opening for fluid passage and alarger opening for fluid passage. The lid assembly includes a lid cover.The lid cover is configured to connect or engage with the lower lid. Thelid cover is configured to seal against the lower lid.

In other aspects, a lid assembly for a beverage container is described.The lid assembly includes a first lower lid. The first lower lid isconfigured to connect or engage to a beverage container. The first lowerlid has a first central wall. The first central wall has a first openingfor fluid passage. The lid assembly includes a lid cover. The lid coveris configured to connect or engage with the first lower lid. The lidcover is configured to seal against the first lower lid. The lidassembly includes a second lower lid. The second lower lid is configuredto connect or engage to the beverage container in place of the firstlower lid. The second lower lid having a second central wall. The secondcentral wall having a second opening for fluid passage. The lid cover isconfigured to connect or engage with the second lower lid. The lid coveris configured to seal against the second lower lid. In certain aspects,the first opening is a different size or shape than the second opening.

In other aspects, a beverage container system including any of the lidassemblies of the present disclosure and a beverage container isdescribed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the beverage container system.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an upper portion of the beveragecontainer system.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the lid assembly and thebeverage container.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the lid assembly and thebeverage container.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the beverage container system.

FIG. 6 is sectional view of the beverage container system with the lidcover removed.

FIG. 7 is an upper view of the lid assembly.

FIG. 8 is a lower perspective view of the lid assembly.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the lid assembly.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the lid assembly.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the lid cover separated from the lowerlid.

FIG. 12 is an upper perspective view of the lid cover.

FIG. 13 is a lower perspective view of the lid cover.

FIG. 14 is a lower perspective view of the lid cover.

FIG. 15 is an upper perspective view of the lower lid.

FIG. 16 is a side view of the lower lid.

FIG. 17 is a top view of the lower lid.

FIG. 18 is a first alternative lower lid.

FIG. 19 is a second alternative lower lid with a vent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

For purposes of this application, any terms that describe relativeposition (e.g., “upper”, “middle” “lower”, “outer”, “inner”, “above”,“below”, “bottom”, “top”, etc.) refer to an aspect of the invention asillustrated, but those terms do not limit the orientation in which theembodiments can be used.

A beverage container system 10 will now be described with reference toFIGS. 1-19 . The beverage container system 10 includes a container 20 tohold a beverage and a lid assembly 50 to selectively close the beveragecontainer 20. The lid assembly 50 may engage with the beverage container20 to form the beverage container system 10. The lid assembly 50controls a flow of a drinking fluid from the beverage container 20.

The lid assembly 50 includes a lower lid 100 and a lid cover 200. Thelower lid 100 includes one or more openings 110 to provide for fluidpassage from the container 20. The lid cover 200 connects or engages tothe lower lid 100 to seal against a drinking rim 132 or surface of thelower lid 100 to mostly prevent or reduce leakage of fluid from thebeverage container system 10. The connection or engagement of the lidcover 200 to the lower lid 100 on the beverage container 20 generallyseals the liquid in the beverage container 20. When the lid cover 200 isfully connected or engaged to the lower lid 100, the beverage containersystem 10 is generally leak resistant.

The lower lid 100 may include a number of different versions,configurations or varieties, depending on drinking style or preferenceof the user, which may all operate with the same lid cover 200 and thesame beverage container 20. The lower lid 100 may include one or moreopenings 110 with different sized, shapes, etc. The lower lid 100 mayoptionally include a vent, a spout, a slow flow opening, a gulp sizeopening, and/or an opening to receive straw.

In this aspect, the openings 110 include a larger opening 110A andsmaller opening 110B. The larger opening 110A is suitable for highvolume drinking or gulping, while the smaller opening 110B is suitablefor slower drinking, such as sipping. The larger opening 110A may beused with a cold beverage, and the smaller opening 110B may be used witha hot beverage. In this aspect, the larger opening 110A is approximately180 degrees from the smaller opening 110B, i.e., on approximatelyopposite sides of the lower lid 100. The user orientates or rotates thebeverage container system 10 such that they can choose which drinkopening 110 they prefer to drink from. Of course, in other aspects, theone or more openings 110 may have a uniform size. In other aspects, theone or more openings 110 may have a semi-circular, ovular, elliptical,teardrop, geometric, organic, or other shape. In other aspects, the oneor more openings 110 may have combinations of different shapes. In otheraspects, a greatest axis of one of the openings 110 may be generallyperpendicular to a greatest axis of the other opening 110. Also, inother aspects, the one or more openings 110 may be sized to accommodatea straw. Also, only a single opening 110 may be present in the lower lid100.

As described below, the lower lid 100 and the lid cover 200 removablyconnect or engage with each other. In this aspect, the lower lid 100removably connects or engages to the beverage container 20 to hold thelid assembly 50 to the beverage container 20. In order to fill thecontainer 20 with a beverage, the lower lid 100 may be unscrewed fromthe beverage container 20, as shown in FIG. 3 , which may also removethe lid cover 200 from the beverage container 20. The user may alsoremove the lid cover 200 from the lower lid 100 and the beveragecontainer 20 before unscrewing the lower lid 100 from the beveragecontainer 20. In other aspects, the beverage container 20 may be filledby directing water through an opening in the lower lid 100.

The lid cover 200 will now be described. This lid cover 200 is shown inisolation in FIGS. 12-14 . With reference to FIG. 5 , in this aspect,the lid cover 200 includes an inner sidewall 230 and an outer sidewall235 joined by an upper wall 240. A space 245 is formed between the innersidewall 230 and the outer sidewall 235. When the lid cover 200 isengaged to the lower lid 100, the drinking rim 132 of the lower lid 100fits into the space 245 and is covered by the space 245 and the lowerside of the upper wall 240, which helps reduce dirt, contamination,germs etc. from contacting the drinking rim 132. The space 245 may actas a removable cover over the drinking rim 132.

In this aspect, as shown in FIG. 4 , the lid cover 200 removably engagesto the lower lid 100. In this aspect, the lid cover 200 forms a stopperportion 210 that fits into a central region 115 of the lower lid 100 andcovers the one or more openings 110 in the lower lid 100. The centralregion 115 may include a cup-like or generally open shape to receive thestopper portion 210. The stopper portion 210 nests into the centralregion 115 of the lower lid 100. The stopper portion 210 may beconfigured to help insulate the contents of the container 20, forexample by including a compartment filled with air, foam, vacuum space,an insulation block, or other insulating configuration.

In this aspect, the lid cover 200 includes a handle 220 extending fromthe upper wall 240 of the lid cover 200. In other aspects, the handle220 may be omitted. An exterior surface of the outer sidewall 235 mayinclude a textured surface to provide a frictional gripping structurefor the user to rotate the lid cover 200.

In this aspect, the inner sidewall 230 of the lid cover 200 includesexterior threads 232. When the lid cover 200 is engaged to the lower lid100, the exterior threads 232 threadably engage with interior threads133 of the lower lid 100.

In this aspect, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the lid cover 200 includesan inner rim 205 between the inner sidewall 230 and the outer sidewall235. With respect to FIG. 11 , the inner rim 205 positions a gasket 208against a generally circular inner diameter 131 of the drinking rim 132to provide a seal to prevent or reduce leakage. As the lid cover 200 isfully tightened or fully engaged to lower to the lower lid 100, thegasket 208 is compressed against an upper portion of the generallycircular inner diameter 131 of the drinking rim 132. In other aspects,the lid cover 200 may seal against an upper or an outer portion of thedrinking rim 132 or the lower lid 100. In other aspects, the lid cover200 connects or engages to the lower lid 100 to seal against a top edge,mouth, or other drinking surface of the lower lid 100. The gasket 208may include a seal, compressible member, or other elastomeric memberthat mostly prevents or reduces leakage. The gasket 208 may be shaped toinclude a gasket main body and a gasket flange, in which the gasketflange is flexible and seals against the lower lid 100 or some portionthereof In other aspects, the gasket 208 may include one or more finsthat normally extend outward, i.e., generally perpendicular to a centralvertical axis of the beverage container 20. When the lid cover 200 istightened to the lower lid 100, such fins may bend and/or flex to makinga sealing contact against the generally circular inner diameter 131.

One benefit of certain aspects of this invention is that the sealingconnection between the lid cover 200 and the lower lid 100 does notoccur right at the drink openings, which allows for flexibility in sizeand shape of the drink openings. Accordingly, the same lid cover 200could also be used on lower lids 100 having various shapes and drinkopening configurations.

Another benefit of certain aspects of this invention is that the sealingconnection of the lid cover 200 does not occur at the top of thedrinking rim 132, which does not limit or restrict the size and shape ofthe drinking rim 132.

The lower lid 100 will now be described. The lower lid 100 is shown ininsolation in FIGS. 15-17 . The lower lid 100 includes the one or moreopenings 110 to provide for fluid passage. The lid cover 200 removablyengages or connects to the lower lid 100 over the one or more openings110. The lower lid 100 may include any number of openings 110 or otherfluid passages.

In this aspect, the lower lid 100 includes an inner sidewall 130 and anouter sidewall 140. In this aspect, the inner sidewall 130 forms thegenerally circular inner diameter 131 having interior threads 133 thatthreadably engage with the exterior threads 232 of the lid cover 200.The interior threads 133 and the exterior threads 232 may include alinear interlocking arrangement as shown, a helical arrangement, orother insert and rotate locking or twist to lock arrangements.

The inner sidewall 130 further transitions into the drinking rim 132.The inner sidewall 130 of the lower lid 100 defines the central region115. The central region 115 is configured to removably receive thestopper portion 210 of the lid cover 200. The lower lid 100 forms acentral wall 120 that extends from the inner sidewall 130. The centralwall 120 includes the one or more openings 110. The central wall 120 mayextend from one side of the inner sidewall 130 to the other side of theinner sidewall 130.

In this aspect, the lower lid 100 includes the inner sidewall 130 andthe outer sidewall 140. A space 145 is formed between the inner sidewall130 and the outer sidewall 140. The space 145 receives an upper portionor neck region 24 of the beverage container 20 when the lower lid 100 isengaged or connected to the beverage container 20.

The stopper portion 210 of the lid cover 200 includes a lower surface250, which covers the one or more openings 110 when the lid cover 200 isengaged to the lower lid 100. The lower surface 250 may include agenerally flat surface that covers a generally flat upper surface 122 ofthe central wall 120 of the lower lid 100. In alternative aspects, thelower surface 250 and central wall 120 may have other configurations,such as diagonal to each other or such configuration where the surfacesmay not be parallel. One benefit of this aspect is that since the lowersurface 250 and central wall 120 do not have to touch, the orientationof the surfaces are not required to be parallel. The beverage containersystem 10 generally includes an open configuration for drinking and astorage configuration. In the open configuration, the lid cover 200 isusually disengaged from the lower lid 100. In the storage configuration,the lid cover 200 is engaged to the lower lid 100 and the gasket 208 iscompressed against the generally circular inner diameter 131 of thedrinking rim 132.

The inner sidewall 130 of the lower lid include exterior threads 135that are positioned on a generally circular outer diameter 137 of thelower lid 100. The exterior threads 135 threadably engage with interiorthreads 30 of the beverage container 20.

In this aspect, the lower lid 100 threadably engages to the beveragecontainer 20. With reference to FIG. 2 , the walls 22 of the upperportion or neck region 24 of the beverage container 20 include an innersurface 25 having the interior threads 30. The interior threads 30 ofthe beverage container 20 receive the exterior threads 135 of the lowerlid 100 to engage the lower lid 100 to the beverage container 20. Thebeverage container 20 includes walls 22 defining an interior volume 35to hold a beverage. The walls 22 of an upper portion or neck region 24of the beverage container 20 include the inner surface 25 having theinterior threads 30.

A gasket 180 is engaged to a bottom outer diameter 185 of the lower lid100. In this aspect, an outer groove 190 proximate to the bottom outerdiameter 185 holds the gasket 180. The gasket 180 seals against thebeverage container 20 when the lower lid 100 is threaded to the beveragecontainer 20.

In other aspects, the lower lid 100 may engage to the beverage container20 in other manners than a threaded engagement, including a snap-fitengagement, frictional engagement, bayonet engagement, or otherengagements configured to selectively attach the lower lid 100 to thebeverage container 20.

In other aspects, the lid cover 200 may engage to the lower lid 100 inother manners than a threaded engagement, including a snap-fitengagement, frictional engagement, bayonet engagement, or otherengagements configured to selectively attach the lid cover 200 to thelower lid 100.

In other aspects, the relative positions of the interior threads 133 andthe exterior threads 135 of the lower lid 100 and the exterior threads232 of the lid cover 200 may be reversed such that the lid cover 200utilizes interior threads to threadably engage with exterior threads ofthe lower lid 100.

In this aspect, the container 20 has a thermally insulated, double wallconstruction. In other aspects, the container 20 includes anon-insulated single-layer or multilayer construction or other insulatedconstructions. The container 20 may be formed from moldable food-gradeplastics, thermoplastics, stainless steel, other metals and metalalloys, other plastics, or any combination thereof

With respect to FIG. 18 , a second lower lid 101 is shown, whichincludes four drink openings 111 equally spaced around a diameter of thecentral wall 120, such that the user may drink from any side of thebeverage container 20.

With respect to FIG. 19 , a third lower lid 102 is shown for use with ahot beverage, which includes a drink opening 112 and a vent 113 topromote flow and reduce a vacuum from forming within the beveragecontainer 20.

As such, it should be understood that the disclosure is not limited tothe particular aspects described herein, but that various changes andmodifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthis novel concept as defined by the following claims. Further, manyother advantages of applicant's disclosure will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art from the above descriptions and the claims below.

What is claimed is:
 1. A lid assembly, comprising: a lower lid, thelower lid is configured to connect or engage around an upper portion ora neck region of a beverage container; the lower lid having a centralwall, the central wall having an opening for fluid passage; and a lidcover, the lid cover is configured to connect or engage with the lowerlid, and the lid cover configured to seal against an inner side surfaceof a drinking rim of the lower lid.
 2. The lid assembly according toclaim 1, wherein the lower lid includes an inner sidewall, and thecentral wall extends from the inner sidewall.
 3. The lid assemblyaccording to claim 2, wherein the central wall includes an additionalopening for fluid passage, and the opening and the additional openingare different shapes or sizes.
 4. The lid assembly according to claim 2,wherein the lid cover forms a stopper portion; wherein the lid cover isconfigured to connect or engage with the lower lid such that the stopperportion covers the opening in the central wall.
 5. The lid assemblyaccording to claim 4, wherein the inner sidewall and the central walldefine a central region configured to receive the stopper portion of thelid cover.
 6. The lid assembly according to claim 1, further comprisinga vent in the central wall.
 7. The lid assembly according to claim 1,further comprising an additional opening in the central wall.
 8. The lidassembly according to claim 1, wherein the lid cover includes an innersidewall and an outer sidewall.
 9. The lid assembly according to claim8, wherein a space is formed between the inner sidewall and the outersidewall, and the space is configured to receive the drinking rim of thelower lid when the lid cover is engaged to the lower lid.
 10. The lidassembly according to claim 8, wherein a gasket is positioned betweenthe inner sidewall and the outer sidewall, and the gasket seals againstthe drinking rim of the lower lid.
 11. The lid assembly according toclaim 10, wherein the gasket is positioned on an exterior surface of theinner sidewall, and the gasket seals against an inner surface of thedrinking rim of the lower lid.
 12. The lid assembly according to claim8, wherein an inner rim is between the inner sidewall and the outersidewall, and the inner rim positions a gasket configured to sealagainst a generally circular inner diameter of the drinking rim.
 13. Thelid assembly according to claim 1, wherein an inner sidewall of the lidcover includes exterior threads configured to threadably engage withinterior threads of the lower lid.
 14. The lid assembly according toclaim 1, wherein inner sidewall of the lower lid includes exteriorthreads configured to threadably engage with interior threads of abeverage container.
 15. A beverage container system, comprising the lidassembly according to claim 1, and further comprising a beveragecontainer, and the opening is configured to fluidly connect to aninterior volume of the beverage container.
 16. A lid assembly,comprising: a lower lid, the lower lid is configured to connect orengage to a beverage container; the lower lid having a central wall, thecentral wall having a smaller opening for fluid passage and a largeropening for fluid passage; and a lid cover, the lid cover is configuredto connect or engage with the lower lid, and the lid cover is configuredto seal against the lower lid.
 17. The lid assembly according to claim16, wherein a user may selectively drink from the smaller opening or thelarger opening by orientating the lid assembly.
 18. The lid assemblyaccording to claim 16, wherein the lid cover is configured to sealagainst a drinking rim of the lower lid.
 19. A lid assembly, comprising:a first lower lid, the first lower lid is configured to connect orengage to a beverage container; a first lower lid having a first centralwall, the first central wall having a first opening for fluid passage; alid cover, the lid cover is configured to connect or engage with thefirst lower lid, and the lid cover is configured to seal against thefirst lower lid; a second lower lid, the second lower lid is configuredto connect or engage to the beverage container in place of the firstlower lid; the second lower lid having a second central wall, the secondcentral wall having a second opening for fluid passage; and the lidcover is configured to connect or engage with the second lower lid, andthe lid cover is configured to seal against the second lower lid. 20.The lid assembly according to claim 19, wherein the first opening is adifferent size or shape than the second opening.